Three former WestConn presidents will join the current president, Dr. Jesse M. Bernal, for a student forum on the history of the university.
The event, “Four Presidents. One WestConn,” is free and open to the public, and will take place Nov. 17 starting with a reception at 5:30 p.m. in Room 127 of White Hall, on the Midtown campus, 181 White St, Danbury. Online access will also be available.
Dr. Steven Feldman, president from 1981-1992, Dr. James Roach, 1992-2004, and Dr. James Schmotter, 2004-2015, will join the conversation virtually, with students, faculty, alumni and other guests invited to ask questions. Bernal will participate in person.
“These three leaders will be a wonderful resource on the history of the university and their personal observations about the growth of WestConn and the community,” Bernal said. “They were all important to improving WestConn over the years, and they will help us understand how an institution like ours can move inclusively into the future.”
Feldman was the dean of the Ancell School of Business before being named president and led the conversion from college to university in 1983. He helped develop the MBA program, attracted business support, and oversaw the opening the Westside campus.
Roach supervised the construction of several buildings, including the White Street parking garage, the William A. O’Neill Athletic and Convocation Center, and the Science Building, which became Connecticut’s first government building to earn LEED Silver certification. He also encouraged the first million-dollar donation to the college.
Schmotter oversaw the building of the Visual and Performing Arts Center and the Westside campus center, successfully sought a $3 million donation from the Macricostas family, and founded the School of Visual and Performing Arts, now the School of Visual, Performing and Communication Arts.
Bernal, who was named president in July 2025, launched the program called “Welcome, Weave, and Widen,” creating environments where all students feel they belong, connecting people and systems to support success, and expanding pathways to educational opportunity, workforce readiness, and economic mobility.
The Nov. 17 event is billed as “an invitation to reflect on how a public university responds to a changing world while keeping opportunity at the center.” Registration is available at Four Presidents Event.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.